Man charged with setting Pearl City fire that killed woman

A 35-year-old Ewa Beach man was charged today with setting a Pearl City fire that killed a 97-year-old woman last week.

Michael P. Dahilig was charged at 3:30 p.m. with first-degree arson, manslaughter, three counts of first-degree burglary, one count of attempted burglary, promoting a dangerous drug, and drug paraphernalia.

He remains at the main police cellblock with a $1 million bail.

Police said Dahilig was the same man seen by a neighbor rummaging through the remains of a Hoomalolo Street home that was destroyed by fire Friday, the day after the conflagration. Betty Hagihara died in the 4:36 a.m. blaze.

Police said Dahilig was also arrested in connection with the burglary of another home on the same street in September and March.

On Tuesday, Dahilig tried to flee when officers tracked him down to a home in Ewa Beach and tried to dispose of drugs and drug paraphernalia, police said.

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jaluasawrote:

Glad they caught this SOB! Going through the remains of the home the day after even though he must have known the fire killed the women, WOW....lock this punk up for good!!

on April 5,2012 | 04:39PM

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kainaluwrote:

That was quick. Of course, the lolo made it easier by returning to the scene of the crime. The loser returned to the scene of a crime in which a woman was killed! What a lolo! Otherwise, lucky for us. Throw the book at him.

on April 5,2012 | 04:43PM

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dalawyerwrote:

Wow, this dude and the Waiawa guard, Damon Pavao, kinda have a resemblance! Both crackheads who don't give a rip about society! Throw the key away on both of them. Donna's mine!

on April 5,2012 | 04:58PM

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GRANDPAHwrote:

The real culprit that is destroying our society is illegal drugs like crystal meth. We must all do something to get rid of this evil.

on April 5,2012 | 04:58PM

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al_kiqaedawrote:

I still hold that legalizing pot will very quickly make a lot of these violent crimes go away....along with a lot of cartels, gangs, and pukes like this guy. I don't do drugs (other than some hardcore cabernets) and I won't even if pot became legalized, but all this craziness is so reminiscent of the wanton gangland crime sprees of the Prohibition.

on April 5,2012 | 06:57PM

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ejkorvettewrote:

Mainland Justice for this Crime would be: Life in Prison without the possibility of Parole, if not the Death Penalty.
Hawaii Justice for this Crime will be: 10yrs Probation, Community Service, Drug Rehab, and be forced to Read a Book everyweek for 25yrs.
Lucky You Live Hawaii, Yeah!

on April 5,2012 | 05:07PM

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patkwrote:

Let the punishment fit the crime - burn this guy alive. Rehabilitation is a waste of time when we have 7 billion people on this planet.

on April 5,2012 | 05:40PM

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Manapua_Manwrote:

HULI HULI BBQ this dude!!!

on April 5,2012 | 09:29PM

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ggumwrote:

this poor excuse of a human being probably was receiving welfare and food stamps already... now, we get to pay even more for his trial and incarceration. does anybody still think that drug testing for people receiving any form of government assistance (ebt, unemployment, housing) shouldn't be required to tested for drug-use?

on April 5,2012 | 06:02PM

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HonoluluHawaiiwrote:

It all starts at the home family individual environment. Men and boys especially need to be supervised constantly and consistently from birth until 18. Anything that goes haywire in that time period, will lead a person into a lifetime of criminal activity, perhaps so much so that the person is "wanting" to be confined in a correctional institution, to be "among the boys".

on April 5,2012 | 08:05PM

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islandboy1562wrote:

Maybe HPD can go after drug dealers, users with the same vengence they are doing patroling the freeways morning and night to issue tickets, which is the more serious offense in society. Oh, but issuing tickets brings in the bucks, catching low life drug users and drug dealers is a low priority. Maybe HPD has different priorities,. Drug houses and crack houses are obvious to people in the community(ie. Kalihi, Salt Lake etc.) I'm sure HPD knows where these things are happening - why can't they take them out? These issues are menaces to our society, but maybe issuing expired safety check or vehicle registration or parking tickets are more revenue rewarding! It is obvious, DRUGS kill - sometimes innocent people like this women.

on April 5,2012 | 06:19PM

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Peacenikwrote:

With all the drunk driving, speeding, driving without license and death on the highway, don't see how you can say this. Both kills.

on April 6,2012 | 12:00AM

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Hawaiianhaolewrote:

Give me five minutes in a locked room with this punk and I will show him justice. The system better not fail this family. To bad we don't have the death penalty.

on April 5,2012 | 07:09PM

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HonoluluHawaiiwrote:

The scene that has McGarrett grilling an arrestee brings to my mind.

on April 5,2012 | 07:19PM

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HonoluluHawaiiwrote:

Cowardly Act.

on April 5,2012 | 07:17PM

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stogie002wrote:

scum like that dont deserve to live. bring back capital punishment and execute them right away. they dont deserve any leeway when it comes to these kinds of crimes. we are way too lenient on loosers like this.

on April 5,2012 | 07:59PM

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iwanaknowwrote:

Some poor mother is crying "My son is a good son!, he neva hurt no body!".

on April 5,2012 | 09:56PM

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falsewrote:

What a loser!

on April 5,2012 | 08:45PM

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derek_millenniumwrote:

Punk! Lock him up for life

on April 5,2012 | 09:04PM

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Manapua_Manwrote:

I'd say... stack up the kiawe wood and BBQ this dude alive at the stake.

on April 5,2012 | 09:25PM

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nonewrote:

burn the guy and the other dumb samoan.

on April 5,2012 | 09:28PM

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palolo2001wrote:

I can not believe what we have become in Hawaii. Drugs must be the root of all evil.

on April 5,2012 | 10:37PM

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mokeblawrote:

Everyone have a choice in life and no one put a gun to anyone head to do drugs, it's just a poor excuse. So believe palolo you play you pay, you take a life you give your.

on April 6,2012 | 03:57AM

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stingray65wrote:

They should put him in firing squad..I will volunteer to do the job free of charge including bullets.

on April 5,2012 | 10:53PM

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808warriorfanwrote:

BURN IN HELL

on April 5,2012 | 11:16PM

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mokeblawrote:

Why keep him in jail for life on taxpayers dime, he made a choice to do what he did. I say a life for a life and just maybe things like this will never happen again. Keep doing it till the message gets across and I'm sure it will and we won't have to worry about over crowding prisons.